Opportunity Information: Apply for UTCOPENCOMP2025
The University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), specifically through the Research and Technology function (Agency code 69A355). It reopens competition for five UTC awards that were originally part of a larger slate of 35 centers selected in 2023 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. In practical terms, USDOT is giving applicants another chance to compete for a small number of high-impact university-based transportation research centers that will help the department strengthen its national transportation research capacity and talent pipeline.
This opportunity is designed to fund the establishment and operation of university transportation centers that can build transportation expertise and advance technology across multimodal systems. The centers are expected to contribute to a critical, nationwide transportation knowledge base that supports USDOT and the broader transportation community with research, innovation, and evidence-based solutions. A major emphasis is also placed on workforce development: addressing critical workforce needs, educating and training students, and helping develop the next generation of transportation professionals and leaders. The concept is not just to support isolated research projects, but to create durable centers that can coordinate research agendas, develop specialized capabilities, and produce a steady stream of trained graduates and actionable findings.
Funding is structured as three annual increments over the life of the award, with total program funding described as 33 million across the five grants. The centers funded through this competition will operate from 2026 through 2030, aligning the work with longer-term research and workforce outcomes rather than short-term deliverables only. The NOFO lists an award ceiling of $3,000,000, indicating the maximum amount that can be awarded per grant under the terms of this announcement, and it anticipates making five awards in total.
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, including both public/state-controlled universities and private universities. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is transportation. The assistance listing is identified as CFDA (Assistance Listing) 20.701, which is the federal program identifier applicants commonly use for compliance, internal routing, and grants management.
Key administrative details in the announcement include the funding opportunity number UTCOPENCOMP2025 and the title "University Transportation Centers Program FY 2025 NOFO." The opportunity was created on 2025-12-22, and the listed application deadline (original closing date) is 2026-02-20. Overall, this NOFO is aimed at universities capable of running a transportation center that meaningfully contributes to USDOT priorities through research, technology advancement, multimodal knowledge generation, and strong education and workforce development components over the 2026-2030 operating period.Apply for UTCOPENCOMP2025
- The 69A355 Research and Technology in the transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "University Transportation Centers Program FY 2025 NOFO" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.701.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-12-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-02-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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